Used BX - Question on Maintenance records

[VH5150]

I looked at a used 2006 Kubota BX today that I'm seriously considering buying. This BX had under 140 hours and appears to have been well cared for. I could not find any rust at all on the unit. The owner appears to have kept things properly greased with a grease gun, put in gear oil when needed, had spare bottles of UDT and gear oil onsite, etc..

I am concerned however, that the last time this particular BX had service (which was around the 50-hour mark) was waaaay back in June of 2008. Is this a giant red flag? It appears that no fluids or filters or gaskets or any other time-related items have been changed in almost six years.

This will be my first tractor so I am a newb. Should I be extremely concerned about this tractor's maintenance?

Thank you in advance for any replies.

 

[devildog1]

If all fluids are up to par and you like the tractor, no issue. It's no different them storing a car for long periods, as long as fluids were ok no sweat.
DevilDog

 

[Happy Gilmore]

Which model BX are you looking at? I'm going to concur with dd. I would also check to make sure the HST fan is intact. If it's not, I've heard it's a pia to change out (see forum posts) Is there a loader on it, MMM? Any accessories?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I looked at a used 2006 Kubota BX today that I'm seriously considering buying. This BX had under 140 hours and appears to have been well cared for. I could not find any rust at all on the unit. The owner appears to have kept things properly greased with a grease gun, put in gear oil when needed, had spare bottles of UDT and gear oil onsite, etc..

I am concerned however, that the last time this particular BX had service (which was around the 50-hour mark) was waaaay back in June of 2008. Is this a giant red flag? It appears that no fluids or filters or gaskets or any other time-related items have been changed in almost six years.

This will be my first tractor so I am a newb. Should I be extremely concerned about this tractor's maintenance?

Thank you in advance for any replies.

I would not be concerned and I've bought 17 Kubotas, but only 2 of them were used. I have no questions for you, just a straight answer, no concern per your question.

 

[varmint]

Not an expert, but seems to me that if the tractor was stored out of the weather, and the fluids don't show water or cloudy, then absolutely no cause for concern- in fact, just change them when you get it, and consider it a good deal, assuming the price is fair. Sounds clean!

 

[VH5150]

Which model BX are you looking at? I'm going to concur with dd. I would also check to make sure the HST fan is intact. If it's not, I've heard it's a pia to change out (see forum posts) Is there a loader on it, MMM? Any accessories?

BX2350 w/MMM and FEL. Also has a woods 5' 3PH blade as well. I'm having a dealer mechanic review the tractor to ID any potential issues and then I plan to buy it.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

BX2350 w/MMM and FEL. Also has a woods 5' 3PH blade as well. I'm having a dealer mechanic review the tractor to ID any potential issues and then I plan to buy it.

The 50 series BXs were discontinued in short order because of several issues. Body plastic being just one of the issues and to me no big deal but I bought one and the abrupt stop in reverse was such an issue that I traded it back to Barlows after a few months and Kubota gave me $500 off my purchase because of it.
My neighbor has one and it has served him well. I've owned BXs before and after the 50 series as well as several other model Kubotas and the abrupt stop in reverse was wrong and was never corrected in that series. The drive train (except the abrupt stop in reverse) and engine are fine. One would have to be really cheap before I'd buy a 50 series.

 

[Cherokee140]

The only thing I would question would be how long did it sit. Was this something that only got a few hours of use once a week in the summer. Or was this thing used for 140 hours the first year then left to sit.

Two very different things you talk about here. 2 years and we can assume it got 50 hours....the math is pretty close for 25hrs per year. If that is how it was used that is one thing.

Being one that has (I counted on my fingers) 8 classic cars that get run not that darn much anymore. I can tell you some stories about letting them sit for that long and what you should check. Positive side is you will not be buzzing down the road at 65 when an old break line that was dry rotted blows....but just as bad of things can happen to the health of the machine.

If you change out ALL the fluids....that means ALL then I would not be too worried. But if that thing has been sitting from 2008 with the same fuel in it....don't turn it over.

Good for you in having someone check it over.....best money you could ever spend....or six pack.

 

[dragoneggs]

Yeah have it checked if you don't know how to... but if the fluids are clear, it starts easy, and appearance shows that it has been cared for... then it is good in my book. I love 'low mileage' vehicles as long as they haven't sat so long that they develop electrical or UV rot issues.

 

[newbury]

<snip>

If you change out ALL the fluids....that means ALL then I would not be too worried. But if that thing has been sitting from 2008 with the same fuel in it....don't turn it over.

We've had lot's of reports on here concerning "old" fuel. It's diesel, not as much worry as gas. I've an '88 Ford Diesel Maxivan which about all I've driven it for the last 6 years was one long trip to haul my Kubota a hundred miles in 2009 and then annual trips 2 miles to the inspection station. Still runs fine, same fuel since '09.
Change the fuel maybe in case it's got algae in it, but don't worry to much about the hydraulics.

The low hours are not that important, lot's of guys buy a SCUT and then find their anticipated usage does not match actual usage. The wife gets tired of seeing the $10,000+/- sit in the garage and it takes years of bugging before he gets rid of it and upgrades to bigger or downgrades to a ZTR.

It's almost like finding New Old Stock.

 

[VH5150]

The 50 series BXs were discontinued in short order because ..... the abrupt stop in reverse was such an issue that I traded it back to Barlows after a few months and Kubota gave me $500 off my purchase because of it.
My neighbor has one and it has served him well. I've owned BXs before and after the 50 series as well as several other model Kubotas and the abrupt stop in reverse was wrong and was never corrected in that series. The drive train (except the abrupt stop in reverse) and engine are fine. One would have to be really cheap before I'd buy a 50 series.

Aw crap. I didn't know about this. Now I'm going to have drive it again to see if it's an issue. I've never owned a tractor before so I didn't notice any abrupt stop. I did noticed the rear pedal was very sensitive though... The tractor was not smooth when pressing reverse ever so slightly.

This just threw a monkey wrench into my plans.

 

[Coyote machine]

Aw crap. I didn't know about this. Now I'm going to have drive it again to see if it's an issue. I've never owned a tractor before so I didn't notice any abrupt stop. I did noticed the rear pedal was very sensitive though... The tractor was not smooth when pressing reverse ever so slightly.

This just threw a monkey wrench into my plans.

You asked, he told 'ya. Better now than to find out later after having bought it.:confused2: What's the 'reason', according to the owner to why it's sat for so long?

 

[VH5150]

You asked, he told 'ya. Better now than to find out later after having bought it.:confused2: What's the 'reason', according to the owner to why it's sat for so long?

I agree!

The owner used it regularly, just not often. It was used to mow a small lawn each week in the summer, spring and fall cleanup, and was taken out for snow removal in the winter. I'm confident it was well taken care of and it was always garaged.

I don't know how to ask this question other than to say how "bad" is this reverse problem? There seems to be quite a bit of negativity towards the BX1850/2350. Is this just a smoothness problem? That is, you lift off the rear pedal and the tractor jerks to a stop? I only had a short test drive and I only noticed the rear pedal was quite abrupt... just barely pressing it and the tractor abruptly moved.

 

[GolfAddict]

Aw crap. I didn't know about this. Now I'm going to have drive it again to see if it's an issue. I've never owned a tractor before so I didn't notice any abrupt stop. I did noticed the rear pedal was very sensitive though... The tractor was not smooth when pressing reverse ever so slightly.

This just threw a monkey wrench into my plans.

Drive it for a while, but especially take notice when reversing and then stopping. When going in reverse, and releasing the pedal, the 50 series does stop quite abruptly. There are a bunch of us 50 series owners that don't find it any kind of big deal (including me), but there are others that found this really annoying and unacceptable.

You really should try running around with it for a while to see how it feels for you.

 

[GolfAddict]

I agree!

The owner used it regularly, just not often. It was used to mow a small lawn each week in the summer, spring and fall cleanup, and was taken out for snow removal in the winter. I'm confident it was well taken care of and it was always garaged.

I don't know how to ask this question other than to say how "bad" is this reverse problem? There seems to be quite a bit of negativity towards the BX1850/2350. Is this just a smoothness problem? That is, you lift off the rear pedal and the tractor jerks to a stop? I only had a short test drive and I only noticed the rear pedal was quite abrupt... just barely pressing it and the tractor abruptly moved.

A way to describe it is it's like a skid steer or zero turn mower (if you have some experience with either) - where if you are moving, then move the steer levers to center, it will come to an abrupt stop.

If you go play with it for a little while you'll know right away what we're trying to describe. Then just decide if it's not acceptable for you.

How good of a deal is it?

 

[VH5150]

There are a bunch of us 50 series owners that don't find it any kind of big deal (including me), but there are others that found this really annoying and unacceptable.

Thanks, that's what I was looking for.

 

[Coyote machine]

Then access how much reversing you are likely to do based on most frequent use of the tractor's features, MMM, backblade, etc. you anticipate, and factor in condition/price, etc.

 

[teamorange7]

i got my BX24 in 2006 and loved everything about it. I would reather stop then roll off a cliff I am a disabeled viet nam vet (agent orange). I sold it this month because of health reasons. john thomas has steep hills. and always puts down the 50 series.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

My 03 BX1500 had around 80 hrs on her when I bought it in the fall of 2010, it had done a lot of sitting prior and the original owner hadn't changed fluids or filters. Shame on him. Oh well. In any event it's been serving me well for the last few years.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

i got my BX24 in 2006 and loved everything about it. I would reather stop then roll off a cliff I am a disabeled viet nam vet (agent orange). I sold it this month because of health reasons. john thomas has steep hills. and always puts down the 50 series.

[B]This is true but I never put (us) Viet Nam Vets down. I also never put Kubotas down after having bought 17 and 16 of them were different. One I previously owned (F2680e) and bought it back to count 17 purchases. If identifying a factory, customers and some dealers admitted problem is putting down......then I'm guilty as charged. It stopped abruptly (The only one to do so except for my RTV1140 but after practice the pedal can be feathered to stop gradually like all the other Kubotas, not so on the 50 series) in reverse even on the level ground I have.
My neighbor has a BX2350, as I stated before, and he's OK with it. If it's cheap enough and you never try one that's right then it will probably be fine for you. The problem can be diminished somewhat by being attentive and trying to ease off of the pedal in reverse but it still stops more abrupt than any other series of BXs and if you can accept it then go for it. All BX series are great machines, just one series has an "issue" that is known by some people.